About the Gold awards – coach guidance

Handling your horse gold

Notes for guidance Safety I can describe the purpose  Risk assessment: A review of the activity and the associated risks and procedures of a risk assessment in place to reduce them I know where to locate risk  Location of risk assessments: follow yard procedure assessments at my yard  Legal requirements for travelling: must have horse’s passport, if towing the I can list the legal vehicle must have an MOT if relevant, if using lorry - plating must be up to date, requirements for travelling vehicle insured for the person , person driving must have relevant license, tyres should be the same type, tyres have the minimum legal tread depth for the I can prepare a vehicle for vehicle loading a horse  Prepare a vehicle for loading: can be trailer or lorry. Assistant required to help open/close ramps. Should be aware of the following areas to check for safety; flooring, ramp, fixtures and fittings, partitions, tyres, lights, loading area Handling and I can describe how to load  Load a horse: assistant to help with ramps. Horse wearing headcollar or Leading and unload a horse with an depending on temperament, handler to wear PPE. Horse should be in a assistant straight line towards the ramp in an active walk and lead up the centre of the ramp, once in vehicle move the horse into position, ask the assistant to close the ramp, secure the horse. Tack and I can put on and check the  Drop : sits across the bony part of horse’s nose, lower straps of the drop equipment fit of a: noseband sit in front of the and fasten under chin groove. It must be fitted a) drop noseband high enough so it does not interfere with breathing. Should fit two fingers b) flash noseband between noseband & the FRONT of the nose (bony part) c) running  Flash noseband: The cavesson is fastened under the cheekpieces but fitted d) breastplate slightly higher than normal and the flash strap fastens in front of the bit. Should I can describe why you fit two fingers between noseband & jaw (not on soft tissue) would use a:  Running martingale: should be able to fit four fingers in between the neck strap a) running martingale and the top of the neck. The short straps should reach from the centre of the b) breastplate chest to just under the throat

FOR THE CHALLENGE. FOR THE LOVE. 1 About the Horse Gold awards – coach guidance

I can put suitable travel  Breastplate: hunting or 5 point; should fit 4 fingers between top of the neck and equipment on a horse the neck strap and a fist between centre of breastplate and chest  Running martingale use: to stop your horse from lifting his head up past the point of control when being ridden.  Breastplate use: prevents the sliding back  Travel equipment: leather head collar, travel boots, tail guard, poll guard, tail bandage. Suitability of rug dependent on weather can be discussed but doesn’t need to be fitted

FOR THE CHALLENGE. FOR THE LOVE. 2 About the Horse Gold awards – coach guidance

Knowing your horse gold

Notes for guidance Identification I can list the information  Passport: three of the following; silhouette of horse, horse’s name, unique equine recorded in a horse’s passport life number, horse’s breeding, vaccination records, microchip number, owner’s I can describe three methods details, whether the horse is intended for human consumption for identifying horses  Identifying horses: microchip usually on neck located with scanner. Freeze mark on back, shoulders or quarters, white in colour. Brand mark usually on quarters or shoulders, dark in colour Anatomy I know the location of major  Major bones: should be able to show you on a horse where the bones lie bones: a) scapula b) spine c) cannon d) femur e) humerus Health I know the signs of colic  Signs of colic: three of the signs from the REACT graphic I know the signs of lameness  Signs of lameness: three of the following; non weight bearing, pointing or resting I can put on a pair of a front leg, reluctance to move, limping, nodding head in trot bandages  Stable bandages: put on with Gamgee or fibregee. Participant should not kneel or I can describe the appearance sit when applying bandage and be positioned at side of leg. Leg should be free of a horse that is: from dirt or shavings. Bandage should be under knee and down to fetlock, even a) underweight pressure, no kinks or wrinkles and a finger should fit in around edges of bandage b) overweight  Describing appearance: not all detail listed below is required but should be able c) healthy weight to describe hips, ribs and neck as a minimum I can weigh a horse  Underweight: bones of spine, ribs and shoulder visible, no fat covering, quarters I can describe biosecurity sloping not round, hip bones sticking out, neck can look sunken procedures on a yard  Overweight: cannot see or feel ribs, very round quarters, hip bones not visible, channel running down centre of back, crest of neck will bulge and solid to touch FOR THE CHALLENGE. FOR THE LOVE. 3 About the Horse Gold awards – coach guidance

 Healthy weight: ribs can be felt, quarters round in shape and hip bones just visible, neck well covered and even topline  Weigh a horse: with weigh tape or weigh bridge  Biosecurity: three of the following; isolated for two weeks, TPR monitored, care of horse limited to one or few people only, all equipment (mucking out tools, grooming kit, buckets) kept separate, wash hands after handling horse, look for signs of illness (cough, discharge, swelling, off food) Feeding I can calculate the amount of  2% of bodyweight forage to feed a horse for  Mix or cube ingredients: oats, barley, maize, peas, carrots, chaff, oils maintenance I can identify three ingredients that can be found in a mix or cube Fittening I can outline the stages of a  Fittening programme: basic outline only week 1 to three low intensity work or nine week fittening slow work (hacking in walk, gradually increase length of time up to one hour with programme short trots and hill work if possible). Week four to five strength or stamina I can list some factors that building (hacking up to 90 mins, replace some hacks with schooling and lungeing). may vary a fitness programme Week seven to nine fast or speed work (hill work to include canter, interval and specific discipline training)  Factors to consider: two of the following; previous illness/injury, body condition of the horse, age and type/breed of horse

FOR THE CHALLENGE. FOR THE LOVE. 4 About the Horse Gold awards – coach guidance

Caring for your horse gold

Notes for guidance Behaviour I can recognise signs of  Field kept horse: three of the following; pacing, barge at gate, gallop around, stress: calling to others, moving around more than normal, not eating a) in a field kept  Stabled horse: three of the following; pacing, not eating, banging door, pawing at horse ground, walking while eating hay, barge out of stable, calling to others b) in a stabled  Crib biting: horse grabs an object such as the top of the door with his top teeth horse and pulls back gulping air in. Tell-tale teeth marks on the stable door or fence rails I can describe the  Wind sucking: horse gulps in air without grasping an object. There may not be any following behaviours: obvious signs a) crib biting  Weaving: horse usually stands with his head over the stable door and shifts his b) wind sucking weight from one front leg to the other quickly swinging his head from side to c) weaving side. This may wear his feet or shoes down unevenly

Stable care I can describe a suitable  Stable environment: four of the following; suitable ventilation, doorway large stable environment enough for horse to fit through comfortably, doorway and roof high enough to I can give reasons why not bang head, stable door should open outwards, doors secured with two locks good ventilation is (top and bottom), water buckets positioned against wall (or in a tyre), haynet important in a stable yard rings positions high enough so empty haynet doesn’t hang too low, any fixtures secured to wall, lights should have protective covers, light switches outside of stable and weather proof covers, specific sizes of stable not necessary but should recognise a horse will need a bigger size than a pony and they should be big enough for to lie down and move around  Ventilation: are dusty, prevent respiratory problems Field care I can describe a suitable  Field environment: three of the following: approx. 1.5 to 2 acres per horse, field environment suitable cover of grazing, fencing in good repair, free from litter, holes weeds and I can list routine poisonous plants, poo picked regularly FOR THE CHALLENGE. FOR THE LOVE. 5 About the Horse Gold awards – coach guidance

tasks to improve pasture  Improve pasture: two of the following; poo pick regularly, paddocks rotated and rested, harrow and roll (can be aware of this but not how and when to do it), graze other animals on pasture Rugs I know why to use an  Exercise sheet: cold or wet weather if the horse is clipped exercise sheet  Put on exercise sheet: sheet should already be fitted to horse, follow instructions I can put on an exercise from coach as to how it should be put on and secured, put on with a saddle sheet Grooming I can describe how to bath  Bathing: only if weather is warm enough. Done before a competition, or if horse a horse is very dirty or sweaty. Can be bathed with buckets or a hose, add shampoo to I can plait a mane bucket and sponge over, rinse until water runs clear. Sweat scraper used to I can list the reasons for removes excess water. Cooler optional clipping  Plaiting: doesn’t have to be completed to industry speed/standard. Securing I can describe some types plaits with bands is sufficient of clip  When a horse should be clipped: when horse has grown a winter coat (around I can describe how to care September). Clip as and when coat grows through. Health reasons (thick coat) for a clipped horse  Types of clip: two from the following: full, hunter, blanket, , chaser, neck and belly  Care for a clipped horse: usually require rugging depending on time of year, groom with rug folded back, exercise sheet may be required when hacking or warming up depending on type of clip

FOR THE CHALLENGE. FOR THE LOVE. 6 About the Horse Gold awards – coach guidance

Lungeing your horse gold

Horses used should be quiet horses suitable for lungeing in walk and trot in side . Lungeing at canter is not required for this Award. The participant should be able to lunge the horse safely in walk and trot and show safe and correct use of the equipment. Assistance can be given to ensure the are the correct length.

Notes for guidance I can give reasons for using side reins  Reasons for side reins: provide a steady contact for horse, to help keep horse I can fit side reins straight, control, provide an even pressure on either side of the bit/mouth I can check the equipment and arena before  Fit side reins: should be an appropriate length for horse. Should be attached to lungeing or roller then fitted one at a time to ensuring head and neck is I can lunge a horse for exercise in walk and straight and no twists in . No more than a fist distance between side rein clip trot under supervision, including: and bit ring. a) warm up and cool down (without  Check equipment and arena: check for fit of equipment and the arena is safe to side reins) use for lungeing b) attaching the side reins at a suitable  Lungeing a horse in walk and trot with side reins: the participants are working point towards influencing the horse more than compared to Silver. Participants are c) adjusting the side reins if necessary required to show safe skills for lungeing, but are not required to ‘improve’ the d) walk and trot transitions horse and its way of going. They should demonstrate good basic lungeing skills and safe techniques and positioning when sending the horse out onto a circle and e) smooth changes of rein f) working the horse actively in both when lungeing. They should be able to maintain a contact down the lunge line and position themselves correctly to keep the horse out on the circle and keep paces the horse forward. Side reins should be checked before attaching. The change of rein should be done smoothly and efficiently. Participants should lunge showing an active walk and trot on both reins with and without side reins

FOR THE CHALLENGE. FOR THE LOVE. 7